Gordon Pack: Restorative Justice (Life After A Second Chance Series #3)

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Incarcerated at the age of 15, Gordon Pack was just a kid who made some poor decisions that led to over 42 years of being inside. That time inside led Gordon to give up on things he always wanted like being married or having children. Decades later, Gordon was eventually released through the Maryland Juvenile Restoration Act.

Since being out, Gordon has dedicated himself to restorative justice and recommitting his life to service through his community by speaking to anyone who will listen on what it means to give people a second chance.

Even though Gordon gave up on a lot things, he was successful in getting married to his now wife Anne, and the two are the parents of their first child Muhsin, born just days after the recording of this interview. Discover who Gordon Pack is and the most he is making out of his second chance.

Hear directly from Gordon about restorative justice in this episode of the Maryland Parole Partnership "Life After a Second Chance" series.

Learn more:

Maryland Parole Partnership

Video by Nehemiah Bester. Portrait photos by Nicole McCann and other photos provided by Gordon Pack.

TRANSCRIPT

00:04 – 00:06
Nehemiah Bester
Who is Gordon Pack?

00:06 – 00:22
Gordon Pack
I’ll began with saying that I am a father, expected. I am a husband. I am a neighbor. I am an employee. I am a citizen. I'm just a normal person like everyone else. But I didn't start that way.

00:25 – 00:34
Gordon Pack
I started off as a 15-year-old with some problems and committing adult crimes and spending 42 years, almost 43 years in prison.

00:36 – 00:39
Nehemiah Bester
You spent 42 years inside. How do you spend your time now?

00:39 – 00:47
Gordon Pack
I would say I spend it graciously. Everything is so appreciated now in comparison to what I lived through those years.

00:48 – 001:04
Gordon Pack
To me, restorative justice is reestablishing a balance that was broken by committing crimes. A lot of times we just look at punishing a person for a transgression. But that really doesn't solve the problem.

01:04 – 01:24
Gordon Pack
So, I take a great deal of effort and energy in trying to coordinate and help people get out and to stay out. So, this is my way of giving back. This is my way of repentance because it doesn't stop just because I did time. I still have a responsibility to do everything I can to make things just.

01:26 – 01:28
Gordon Pack
I will get engaged in efforts to deter crime. To deter youth from crime.

01:32 – 01:41
Gordon Pack
To talk to victims of crime. These things are very important. And they have to be done. So, if I'm welcome in that space, I will gladly go there and share my experience.

01:43 – 01:58
Gordon Pack
I gave up on ever having a family, having children. I gave up on being married. These are things after decades and decades in prison, you really don't think it will ever happen in your life.

01:59 – 02:19
Gordon Pack
So, for me, the greatest role that I have as an individual right now is being a great father, being a good husband, being a good neighbor, being a good friend. I spent a great deal of time of mentoring people in prison. I spent a great deal of time of helping people out as they get out of prison

02:19 – 02:35
Gordon Pack
But I have never raised a child. So now I get a chance to try to incorporate that in my daily life in hopes that our son, my wife and our son will grow to be a better person than I am, I ever was.

02:37 – 02:46
Gordon Pack
I really believe that I appreciate everything. Things I've never imagined happening. And here I am after such a long time.